The Lord is my Shepherd!

(Psalms 23)
When it comes to sheep herding there is a difference between a hireling and a shepherd!
The hireling only does the job because he gets paid, but the shepherd has an obligation of even if
he does not get paid he has a job to do. Now a shepherd will give his life for one sheep, but the
hireling would give a sheep for his life. Jesus said he was the Good Shepherd that would give his
life for his sheep, now let’s talk about this shepherd. In Psalms 23 David says that the Lord is my
shepherd I shall not want, now you must understand the sheep and how God created them. The sheep is one of only animals that God created without a defense mechanism so the sheep whole entire existence is solely dependent upon the shepherd they can’t do anything on their own.
God created us to be solely dependent on him that why in the Bible he references himself as
being the shepherd ands us being the sheep, it’s when we step outside the will of God and try to
do things on our own is when we make a bigger mess of things. God knows what we need and
he has all of our needs taken care of as long as we are in his will. The Bible tells us that he will
supply all of our needs according to the riches in Christ Jesus, so we don’t have to want for
nothing, we belong to him! He maketh me lie down in green pastures! Because to sheep is
solely dependent upon the shepherd, the sheep has to be made to do everything. Let me help
you understand it! While the sheep are sleeping the shepherd has to go out to find a place for the
sheep to graze and once they get there he has to move them when they have eating enough
from that field, because the sheep don’t when to stop ,and if you let them they will eat the grass
down to the seed. God also does that with us when he decides to feed us from a certain field for
a season and then moves us along the way because we don’t know when enough is enough,
and the Bible calls gluttony a sin. The sheep also have no way of knowing when it is time to lay
down and some will stand too long until the point of death, so the shepherd has to make them lay
down ,and the way he does that is by breaking the sheep legs. Notice the scriptures says in
green pastures ,which means the good shepherd will not put his sheep in harm’s way, and
neither will God. By understanding this you will understand that when God is trying to move you
and get you to lay down and ignore him he will allow us to be put in situation that will make us lay
down. Example! If you are running in the streets and running from God and God is calling you
trying to get your attention and he can’t seem to get hold of you then what he may allow happen
to you is a sickness to come upon you or a minor accident or even a death to occur just to sit
you down long enough to hear his voice. He will only break your legs from under you to make
you lay down in the green pastures so that you will be safe and out of harm’s way. God has
invested so much in us and in his chosen people and he will protect his investment at all cost,
even if it means having you thrown in jail in the “green pastures” away from the harmful world.
We sometimes need to be saved from ourselves and the good shepherd will do his job not to
lose a single sheep even if he has to die for them. The scripture goes on to say “he leads me
besides the still waters” now the sheep can’t drink from a fast moving stream of water or else
they will drown trying to drink, so the shepherd will make sure that when they are ready to drink
that he will make sure that the waters are safe for them to drink from. When you look at the world
as a fast flowing stream with all the chaotic things going on some of us are not able to keep up
and in reference end up drowning trying to drink. God gives us pastors after his own heart and he
will lead you to places where he knows that you will be able to prosper, a place that is on your
level. Let me ask you this! Have you ever been in a place where it seemed as if they were
moving so fast or in a situation ,or relationship that they was moving so fast that you felt
overwhelmed? God has to take you and scale things back a bit so that you won’t drown trying to
hear his voice. The shepherd will never put his sheep in harm’s way and expect them to drink
from a fast flowing stream, so he will lead them besides the still waters, for them to drink instead
of drowning their thirst. God has to lead some of his sheep in very still waters like prison so that
not only they can drink but grow as well instead of drowning in the fast moving world. He restores
my soul ! God knows that it takes energy just exist in this world with all of the sin that is in it and trying to live right takes a toll on you and at times we get weary and our soul gets tired, but God is saying that when your soul gets tired I will restore your soul, that lets me know that whatever energy, or power that is drained from me by doing his will ,he is the good shepherd to restore and replenish back to. In order to get a refill you have to be first empty. He leads me in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake ! When God has given us a route to follow, he will not just send us out bind, he has already walked the path that he gave us and has taken out everything that would harm you, and left the things that will help grow you. You are not walking alone God is leading you through, meaning he is in front of you ,not to the side or behind but he is leading you through, and who better to follow through a path other than the one who has already completed the course? Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil! The reason why we don’t have to fear in the valley of death is because once again we have a good shepherd and as long he is with us we don’t have to worry because he has never and will never
lose a sheep. He will not allow anything to happen to you even in the presence of evil. Have faith
in God , and have no fear because fear is of the devil, the Bible says that perfect love cast out all fear. It’s almost like me! When I am walking my dogs, because of what kind of dogs I have and
their protective nature I am not afraid of other dogs or animals in the neighborhood . I walk my
two dogs on a leash and I walk with a boldness that I know that if anybody, anything ,or any dog
tries to run up on me I know that the two of them will attack and devour the opposition. That
should be our attitude with the Holy Spirit and while walking with God that he will not allow
anything to happen to us. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me! God is the only thing that can
comfort you, people try to use alcohol, sex and drugs to comfort them and they are only trying to
fill a void in their life that only God can fill, so they continue to look for things to ease their mind and soothe their souls. The Lord is your shepherd and all of your help comes from him even your
comfort! Just as the good shepherd will cater to and nourish and comfort the sheep when they
are lost and found again The Lord God will do the same for us if we let him. Now this next part is
very important for you understand why being with God is so important ! He prepare a table for
me in the presence of my enemies! The Bible says that this battle is not yours it is the Lord’s, so
whatever enemy comes before you God will deal with your enemies better than you ever imagine, just let him have it and see won’t he show up and shown out in your life. Also him preparing a table before you in the presence of your enemies simply means that he will make your enemies your footstool ,and a footstool is something you use to reach a higher height. God literally wants to use your enemies to bless you and step you up to another level. That’s only if you hold on and stay in character, don’t get outside of his will God will keep your enemies around long enough for them to see him bless you. That why the Bible says to pray for the people who mistreat and use you ,because God wants them to see his glory in your life and when they do you wrong he will allow them to stay alive and all just so he can bring them back before you so he can let them see the favor and blessings in your life. he anoint my head with oil, my cup runneth over, surely goodness and mercy shall follow all the days of my life ,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! In closing! When God anoints your head with oil and places a calling on your life , he will bless you in ways you can’t believe or receive, the bible says that “I will open up the floodgates of heaven and pour you out a blessing that you don’t have room to receive” your cup running over is just that ! God pouring out a blessing that you don’t have room to receive. Understand that the anointing comes with a price ! you have to sacrifice for it, but God will give you double blessings for your sacrifice. When you are walking with God and you are in his will he will give you rest from your enemies and goodness and mercy shall follow you all of your days, God will just have his favor follow you, everywhere you go and everything you do God will bless it and you will prosper. These are just the French benefits of letting the Lord lead you instead of trying to do things on your own. God loves you and he wants to provide a life of peace and prosperity for you where you will never have you worry about where you going to eat, drink or live ,never have to worry about your enemies, that why to bible tells us to cast all of our cares on him for he cares for us, he wants to be your everything. The ultimate reward is to dwell in the house and be with God forever which what we all are striving or should be striving to do in the first place , all you have you do is to give up yourself and become a true sheep who leans and depends totally on God. May God bless you!